This episode is a conversation with Jesse from Feral Foraging about two of North America’s most overlooked wild foods — Wild Plums and American Lotus. Jesse is a skilled forager and educator who shares practical tips on plant identification, wild tending, and cooking with these forgotten staples. His work blends deep ecological knowledge with hands-on techniques that help people connect to their food in a meaningful way.

Episode Overview:

• Jesse’s background and the mission behind Feral Foraging
• The Gather Foraging App — features for plant ID, seasonal timing & lookalikes
• Wild Plum species in North America (American, Chickasaw, Mexican, Pacific, Canada plums)
• How to identify wild plums vs. Bradford pear or crabapple
• Why wild plums are disappearing (invasive species, habitat loss, fire suppression)
• Tips for scouting wild plums in bloom, best harvesting techniques, and seasonal timing
• Wild plum flavor profile, traditional uses, and recipes (jam, wine, sauces, fruit leather)
• American Lotus basics — how it compares to Asian lotus and its overlooked history
• Foraging lotus seeds and tubers: canoe gathering, wading, and digging in mud
• Lotus recipes & nutrition: porridge, bread, flour alternatives, and long-term seed storage
• Why American Lotus and Wild Plums are still worth foraging today for resilience and food culture

Use code “yearofplenty” for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com

MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out

Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes.

Watch the Video Episode on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/live/pU2202bP58Q?si=o5_hNZ6Bq7UCNA2k

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Connect with Jesse:
https://www.youtube.com/@FeralForaging

Download the Gather Foraging App:
https://gatherapp.co/

In this episode of the Year of Plenty Podcast, we’re joined by Elspeth Hay — writer, public radio host, and author of Feed Us With Trees. Elspeth takes us deep into the overlooked world of edible trees, exploring how they’ve sustained humans for millennia and why they hold the key to building a more resilient food system today. From acorns and chestnuts to hazelnuts and maples, this conversation uncovers the ancient wisdom and modern science behind tree-based foods and agroforestry.

Topics We Cover

• The inspiration behind Elspeth’s book Feed Us With Trees and why she believes trees belong at the center of our food future.
• Acorns as a staple food: how they’ve been processed, eaten, and valued across cultures.
• Chestnuts and their importance across Europe and North America, including their culinary revival.
• Hazelnuts as both a wild foraged nut and a promising perennial crop.
• Differences between perennial tree foods and annual crops — and what that means for resilience.
• The role of trees in storing carbon and sustaining long-term food supplies.
• Why many tree-based foods disappeared from mainstream diets and what it takes to bring them back.
• Indigenous knowledge and cultural traditions surrounding oaks, chestnuts, and other nut trees.
• Stories of modern farmers and projects reintroducing edible tree systems into agriculture.

Use code “yearofplenty” for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com

MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out

Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes.

Watch the Video Episode on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/live/HXgxNj72rGc?si=92eG2Bi5iqd3HHEX

Sign up for the newsletter:
www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletter

Support the podcast via Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/yearofplenty

Subscribe to the Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentyvideo

Do you follow the podcast on social media yet?
IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/
X: https://x.com/yearofplentypod

I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53R

Connect with Elspeth Hay:

https://elspethhay.com/

In this episode of the Year of Plenty Podcast, we sit down with Erica Davis — better known as Wild Food Girl — to explore the fascinating world of wild edible plants. Erica has spent more than a decade teaching, writing, and foraging across the Rocky Mountains and beyond, and she shares her deep knowledge on identification, harvesting, and cooking techniques for some of the most interesting wild foods in North America

Topics We Cover

• How Erica became “Wild Food Girl” and built her online school.
• Dandelion soup (manest), including how to blanch greens to reduce bitterness, recipe variations, and pairing ideas.
• Huckleberry foraging with seasonal timing, elevation tips, species differences, and the regional naming confusion between blueberries and huckleberries.
• Oregon grape, with tips on safe identification, its tart flavor, and how to use it in jelly, wine, and other recipes.
• Tumbleweed (Salsola), how to harvest young shoots, different cooking methods, and the ethics of foraging invasives.
• Kochia “land caviar” (tonburi), including seed processing, rinsing to remove saponins, and creative flavor pairings.
• Ground cherries (Physalis), how to identify species, clear up toxicity myths, know the best harvest times, and find their favorite habitats.
• Foraging safety tips, from avoiding lookalikes to harvesting ethically and steering clear of beginner mistakes.
• The unique challenges and opportunities of foraging in the Intermountain West.

Use code “yearofplenty” for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com

MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out

Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes.

Watch the Video Episode on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/live/lH80VIp2b4A?si=yQO1XqW46Dyad8kM

Sign up for the newsletter:
www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletter

Support the podcast via Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/yearofplenty

Subscribe to the Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentyvideo

Do you follow the podcast on social media yet?
IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/
X: https://x.com/yearofplentypod

I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53R

Connect with Wild Food Girl:
https://wildfoodgirl.com/

https://www.instagram.com/wild.food.girl/?hl=en